CharlesLawrence

Having grown up in Northwest Florida and Wyoming, then pursing an MS in Social Science Education, C. Lawrence's road to wine hasn't been as direct as some. However, in 2006 he decided to pursue his passion, thus embarking on his own, continuing journey of vinous discovery. Since then, Charles has attained WSET certification, operated Vendimia Wine Bar in Hakuba Japan, worked as a wine consultant for hotels/restaurants in Japan and Thailand, spent a harvest in California's Russian River Valley at Porter Creek Vineyards, and is now enrolled in the Bordeaux Ecole du Management Wine MBA. After nearly 12 years in Japan, Charles is off to Bangkok where he will be working with wine.

By Charles Lawrence Don’t be lulled into thinking you won’t find fine wine in Malaysia. Yes, it is a Muslim nation, but no, the rules aren’t restrictive to the flow of wine. The country’s forward thinking and progressive leaders believe in diversity and strive to maintain a respect for all beliefs and individuals, including those…>

THIS isn’t a list about the best of anything, ultimate degustation, or top eats not from the streets. It’s more. It’s an introduction to a crossroads of culinary creation, where ancient culinary ways simmer together and creative chefs shift the boundaries of taste. So, in no particular order, here are a few of my favorite…>

THIS list isn’t about the best of anything, ultimate wine lists, or top somms with finesse and flare. It’s more. It’s an introduction to vinous ventures, where personal preferences lead, and playful oenophiles test the limits of taste. So, in NO PARTICULAR ORDER, here are a few of my favorite spaces to explore flavors so…>

FANCY yourself a sushi fiend, heh? Ever been to Kyushu, the island below Honshu? It is to sushi what Ibiza is to party people: the place to be. I lived in Oita Prefecture, at the northern most point of the island and it is while living in this coastal area that I discovered some truly…>

SPLISH, splash, zoom and dash… the sounds and feelings of getting lost and being found in the sublime surroundings of Japans backcountry river canyons, far from the rush and push of its concrete coagulants of humanity, is something most visitors and residents sadly miss when wondering what to do for an escape from anime oblivion. …>

ALWAYS found it strange when folks asked if there was good MTB riding in Japan…duh? For those with limited geography knowledge – or better, a desire to explore one of the world’s most beautiful countries, the archipelago nation is nearly nothing but a vast MTB park, where every prefecture is studded with mountains and hills…>

I AM an admitted addict. I have a weakness for powder. I need it. Where do I get my powder junkie fix? Wyoming? Alaska? BC? Colorado? France? While those places definitely rock, they cannot compare with the blissful 11-meter plus base of the white life that coats Japan’s Northern Alps every winter like a blanket…>

WHAT to do in BKK if not into the bar scene? Why not wander the streets eating your way from one district to the next? Street food vendors are everywhere and while offerings may look similar from one to another, with a little courage to try something different, you can taste many interesting edibles, even…>

THE lure to ride the plentiful waves that break along the shores, reefs, and points of the “Island of the God’s” has long captured the mind and imagination of many a surfer, and why not? With nearly perfect conditions, Bali is a surfing destination that consistently draws thousands and thousands of wave riders from around…>

HOW does a guy who will eat nearly anything find 10 foods he won’t eat from the various vendors plying their goods along the streets and alleys of Thailand’s teeming capital? He doesn’t. Such was the request I received: to find 10 street snacks I wouldn’t eat. I eat street food almost on a daily…>

By Charles Lawrence Don’t be lulled into thinking you won’t find fine wine in Malaysia. Yes, it is a Muslim nation, but no, the rules aren’t restrictive to the flow of wine. The country’s forward thinking and progressive leaders believe in diversity and strive to maintain a respect for all beliefs and individuals, including those…>

THIS isn’t a list about the best of anything, ultimate degustation, or top eats not from the streets. It’s more. It’s an introduction to a crossroads of culinary creation, where ancient culinary ways simmer together and creative chefs shift the boundaries of taste. So, in no particular order, here are a few of my favorite…>

THIS list isn’t about the best of anything, ultimate wine lists, or top somms with finesse and flare. It’s more. It’s an introduction to vinous ventures, where personal preferences lead, and playful oenophiles test the limits of taste. So, in NO PARTICULAR ORDER, here are a few of my favorite spaces to explore flavors so…>

SPLISH, splash, zoom and dash… the sounds and feelings of getting lost and being found in the sublime surroundings of Japans backcountry river canyons, far from the rush and push of its concrete coagulants of humanity, is something most visitors and residents sadly miss when wondering what to do for an escape from anime oblivion. …>

ALWAYS found it strange when folks asked if there was good MTB riding in Japan…duh? For those with limited geography knowledge – or better, a desire to explore one of the world’s most beautiful countries, the archipelago nation is nearly nothing but a vast MTB park, where every prefecture is studded with mountains and hills…>

I AM an admitted addict. I have a weakness for powder. I need it. Where do I get my powder junkie fix? Wyoming? Alaska? BC? Colorado? France? While those places definitely rock, they cannot compare with the blissful 11-meter plus base of the white life that coats Japan’s Northern Alps every winter like a blanket…>

SINGAPORE is famous because of successful economic practices and development, Orchard Road and the endless supply of shopping malls, prestigious hotels, Sentosa Island, casinos, superb architecture, and efficient and clean streets and public transport. However few people know Singapore for its tropical gardens and nature, and even fewer for its wildlife.

We can expect a deluge of selfies from the top of Japan’s tallest mountain in the coming days and weeks after a Japanese mobile phone network said it will begin offering a free Wi-Fi service Friday at eight hotspots on Japan’s most famous mountain, including the 3,776-meter (12,389-foot) summit.